It seems fictionland is inhabited by the worst [[TheBully bullies]] in existence, always ready to mock you and steal your lunch money, no matter what happened to you, you'll always be different from AllOfTheOtherReindeer. Not even the LittlestCancerPatient gets a break. ''{{Especially|Zoidberg}}'' [[EspeciallyZoidberg not the]] LittlestCancerPatient. After a while, it looks like we have a society of youthful sociopaths running around the city. Oh wait...

Note that the victim is almost always the protagonist; at least fictionland doesn't think bullies are good protagonist material... unless [[AntiHero they]] can grow a [[PermaStubble stubble]], that is. In TeenDrama, the AlphaBitch and the JerkJock represent this trope. One way to defuse the abuse is for the kid to make his aggressors [[DidYouThinkICantFeel realize what they're feeling.]] This only works if [[RousseauWasRight the mean kids are good but misguided]] though, if they aren't a beat down is in order.

If the target of abuse could easily rip them apart if it wanted and the kids ''know'' it, then the kids are BullyingADragon (not to mention TooDumbToLive). And even if the target of abuse is not superpowered at the time, just wait until the bully-magnet that UsedToBeASweetKid undergoes a StartOfDarkness, possibly as a result of the cruelty of other kids, and goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge, often at a point when the bullies themselves have forgotten the whole thing.

A favorite for films with grown protagonists is to reveal this as part of their BackStory via {{Flash Back}}s.

See also TeensAreMonsters, BigBrotherBully, and HumansAreBastards. Contrast ChildrenAreInnocent[[note]]It's worth mentioning that the Biblical definition of "innocent" roughly translates to "having no knowledge of good and evil", in a sense [[PureIsNotGood amoral]], which fits this trope better[[/note]]. The RoyalBrat is a particularly disturbing take on this. AdultsAreUseless for when the majority, if not, all the bullying occurs all the time because the adults ignore it or are oblivious.

Sometimes leads to WouldHurtAChild. But all too often the bullying has [[DrivenToSuicide catastrophic consequences]].

'''[[Administrivia/NoRealLifeExamplesPlease Please do not add any real life examples.]]''' This trope is TruthInTelevision, as if we needed to say it, but to list the examples would be asking for an EditWar.

Of course one of the causes for this trope in real life is explained in Developmental Psych. It's called ego-centralism and until a child reaches a certain point in their mental development they don't understand that their actions hurt others as they are not hurt themselves. ----!!Examples:[[index]]* KidsAreCruel/AnimeAndManga* KidsAreCruel/ComicBooks* KidsAreCruel/FanFiction* KidsAreCruel/{{Film}}* KidsAreCruel/{{Literature}}* KidsAreCruel/LiveActionTV* KidsAreCruel/{{Other}}* KidsAreCruel/VideoGames* KidsAreCruel/WesternAnimation[[/index]]----